From Podcast to Profit: Jenn Trepeck’s Strategy to Monetize and Grow a Thriving Business

Traci DeForge: [: 00:00:00

Since August of [00:00:30] 2019. That is amazing. Thank you. I know everybody who is watching or listening to this right now [00:00:36] wants to know that if they take anything away from this podcast. What is the key to you [00:00:42] sustaining? That many episodes, that many weeks, that many months, that many years.

Voice Over: This is the [: 00:00:48

Traci DeForge: We have seen really successful [00:01:00] monetization strateg.

te your podcast from good to [: 00:01:06

Traci DeForge: It really opens up this whole other opportunity for you

unlock its true potential to [: 00:01:12

Traci DeForge: I really wanna make sure your foundational pillars are in place

Voice Over: now.

Your [: 00:01:18

Traci DeForge: Welcome to the Growth Accelerator Podcast, the podcast [00:01:24] for business owners leveraging podcasting for growth in the areas of visibility, leads and sales. I'm [00:01:30] your host, Tracy De Forge, and I have with me Jen Tropic, a health and [00:01:36] wellness coach guru, and the host of my most favorite podcast name ever.[00:01:42]

Salad with the side of fries.

ng me. I will say, uh, it is [: 00:01:48

Traci DeForge: Well, I got it right away and then [00:02:00] we did and actually end up becoming friends, which I'm super love about our relationship.

But I think [: 00:02:06

Jenn Trepeck: [00:02:18] everything I do is about changing the state of healthcare, empowering people to reclaim their health, and the [00:02:24] podcast is the maximum of that.

It is reaching[: 00:02:30

behind any of these barriers. So it's really about helping [00:02:36] people reclaim their health, not just delivering on my mission of the business, but even in terms of my [00:02:42] business itself. I have actually completely rebranded everything to the podcast brand. So I [00:02:48] started the podcast about 12 years after I started health coaching [00:02:54] and the success of the show, the success of that branding has really [00:03:00] evolved every piece of my business.

together started through the [: 00:03:06

The production values, the [00:03:24] business development piece are their calls to action potential for monetization sponsorship. So when you came to [00:03:30] produce your podcast in 2020, you were roughly about 25 episodes in, and [00:03:36] just now you're at 566 episodes. I know, yeah. [00:03:42] Uh, and one thing I just wanna pause and applaud you for actually is that.

The, your absolute [: 00:03:48

That many weeks, that many months, that many years.

Trepeck: I think part of it [: 00:04:18

So there are always people asking these questions and that [00:04:36] creates the momentum around the content. The other piece, and we've talked about workflow before, I [00:04:42] am booked with guests almost a year. Out and so. It creates a [00:04:48] situation where I don't have a choice, but Right. Don't have a choice but to keep going, you know?

Right. So, yeah. So when we

raci DeForge: were doing the [: 00:04:54

And then let's continue the journey from there.

dn't necessarily come to the [: 00:05:12

I think one of the biggest things that came from the audit [00:05:42] was my weekly bonus episode.

the nutrition nugget. Yes. I [: 00:05:48

Um, we're known for that, but in the case of the [00:06:06] nutrition nugget, the strategy was initially was to have your long form episodes, have this signature piece of [00:06:12] content inside of it. That was focused on health and nutrition specifically, and then you would be able to extract that [00:06:18] out and repurpose it because if I remember, now we're really going down memory lane, but if I remember, one of the biggest things that you [00:06:24] wanted to do as a result of the audit was audit was to increase your downloads.

nd so that was a really good [: 00:06:30

Jenn Trepeck: Exactly. In the beginning, the [00:06:36] nutrition nugget segment was part of the full episode, and then we pulled it out and also published it separately. [00:06:42] And then over the years it ended up where we've now pulled it out.

So I'll [: 00:06:48

Traci DeForge: Right, that's what I was gonna say. It was a very successful tool to, to increase those [00:07:06] downloads, but then also to, um, as a result of the downloads, then you were able to increase the number of people who followed and [00:07:12] subscribed to the show as well from that.

that we had from the audit. [: 00:07:18

I remember [00:07:42] going, when are you gonna get that trademark done? When are you gonna get that? And you got it done, which was amazing. And the [00:07:48] website, URL, everything being tied into and having that consistency across all of the pieces of your [00:07:54] branding, the website, URL. And we actually even worked together on making sure your website was reflective of the [00:08:00] quality of your show and all of those things as well.

erything, the trademark, and [: 00:08:06

Traci DeForge: So that was really fun because, well, let's back into, first of all, 'cause you had a [00:08:18] paid community. Yes. And so the paid community was something that, uh, one of the monetization streams [00:08:24] that you have for your show.

initely talk about. You have [: 00:08:30

Jenn Trepeck: Yeah, and frankly, all of that is separate from the fact that. The [00:08:42] podcast itself has become sort of top of the marketing funnel that leads people into working with me as their health coach.[00:08:48]

ar, is to get new health and [: 00:08:54

Working on the live [00:09:12] events and things and ads and sponsorships. It's just a, it's a really well-rounded monetization strategy if I do say [00:09:18] so myself. Thank you. Yeah,

mbership launched January of [: 00:09:24

And it created [00:09:42] because otherwise you had this free top of the funnel and then really not [00:09:48] much to offer until you got to these higher ticket paid services. So the membership was then [00:09:54] sort of that next tier that brought them into the ecosystem.

ut is important to highlight [: 00:10:00

One of the questions that we often get at [00:10:06] Producer podcast is. I've got 10 episodes, how do I monetize them? Right? And it's like, whoa, hold on. [00:10:12] You can, but, and we've actually even had people monetize their show pre-launch. But it's really important to, I [00:10:18] think, set realistic expectations because what you're saying is it's a great top of the funnel tool [00:10:24] for you, but then you also have to be able to reach people where they are in, in their.[00:10:30]

alth and nutrition is a very [: 00:10:36

Jenn Trepeck: Yes. So first of all, there's a lot of pieces to that. I think you, you mentioned before the consistency of now [00:11:06] between full length episodes and the bonus episodes, it's 500, 6, 6, give or [00:11:12] take. That consistency is a big piece of somebody [00:11:18] saying, I wanna work with that person. Like if you keep showing up. They go, that's what I get.

And I [: 00:11:24

Traci DeForge: Love that.

Jenn Trepeck: So [: 00:11:36

'cause I want it to still be a conversation, right? I think a conversation's way more [00:12:00] compelling to listen to. Than just somebody talking for however long. [00:12:06] So in the beginning, and even still, I have friends who join me on those. Right? And as that [00:12:12] paid community, that membership grew. One of the things that I offered them is a quarterly live q and a.

So [: 00:12:18

So we have [00:12:42] used then their voices to highlight. The podcast, things that they've learned from the show, changes that they've [00:12:48] made in their life because of something that's happened from the show. So that's also been tremendous for showing people the value [00:12:54] of continuing to show up and listen and. This year, in the last [00:13:00] year, we've started doing a couple episodes in, I wouldn't call it a series, but a couple episodes called Real [00:13:06] People, real Results and it's clients.

hrough what their experience [: 00:13:12

Traci DeForge: That's so interesting that you say that because [00:13:30] business owners. Often think that the only way that they should do a [00:13:36] podcast is a q and a, similar to what we're doing right now, and that, that somebody went to podcast school and they said, this is the [00:13:42] way you do it, and that's the only way you do it. But one of the things that has been so great about working with you is really formulating [00:13:48] that strategy of what works best for your audience.

we always have to remember, [: 00:13:54

Talk through [00:14:18] your specific expertise and going vertical in that, and then making sure that your [00:14:24] clients are highlighted and they're not testimonials or infomercials. They're basically really good pieces of [00:14:30] content where your clients are sharing real results that they've gotten, [00:14:36] and so as a result of that.

to your credibility, to your [: 00:14:42

It's a right or a left. And [00:15:06] so much so that we actually reconstructed our packages this year to integrate [00:15:12] long form and short form so that our business owners could really showcase their own expertise. It's, it's, [00:15:18] or their client's results like, yeah. Yeah,

when we talked about adding [: 00:15:24

It became another [00:15:30] entry point. So new listeners who discovered the show didn't have to commit to so much time to get a taste [00:15:36] of, no pun intended, like what this show is about. And so, I mean, you probably knew that, but it was in [00:15:42] piece to me. But it was, it was a, it was. A new piece to me of recognizing some of the [00:15:48] value of that shorter form and even the consistency of that shorter form, because now some people show up just for [00:15:54] those, which is awesome too.

is just real life practical. [: 00:16:00

But they also, again, having to think about what's in it for the audience. Right [00:16:24] now everybody's audience is time starved, so if you think about your own habits of scrolling that [00:16:30] feed, you're like 25 minutes, 30 minutes. Five minutes. Okay. I can give this [00:16:36] person that I don't know yet, that I haven't listened to their content yet.

t minutes, or I'm willing to [: 00:16:42

Um, I wanna also. Talk through this [00:17:00] branding piece because again, this is one of the things we identify more frequently in the audits, [00:17:06] but we also have identified it in pre-launch too. Should I name the show something different than [00:17:12] the name of my business? Should I have the show on the, on the website for my business?

[: 00:17:18

Jenn Trepeck: all the URLs,

Traci DeForge: all the website, all the URLs, all the things.

remember we working together [: 00:17:42

Jenn Trepeck: is anymore. I know. Well, but that was the piece of. I had had a health coaching practice for 12 years. [00:17:54] When I launched the show, I didn't know what it was going to become.

It was literally me in my [: 00:18:00

Right. It was So there were all these separate pieces that in the rebranding and in working together [00:18:30] when we redid my website Right, it was putting everything under one umbrella. And

f that there was identifying [: 00:18:36

In fact, you know, we're the Growth Accelerator podcast producer. Podcast is my [00:18:48] business, one of the PYP signature. Strategies, if you will, is to make sure [00:18:54] you own the URL of your podcast. So that was one of the first things is we, um, in fact, I even [00:19:00] specifically remember that it's a salad with a side of fries.com for now.

Yes.

dy owns salad with a side of [: 00:19:06

Traci DeForge: Right. And it did. And, [00:19:12] and so, and like for us, for example, it's growth accelerator podcast.com and the reason [00:19:18] behind that is because. When someone is consuming your content, they're gonna remember how they found you.

They're [: 00:19:24

Jenn Trepeck: In 2007, when. Started, it was spot on.

Forge: Okay. It just didn't, [: 00:19:42

It was top of the line at the time. But salad with the [00:19:48] side effects is clearly more memorable. Yes. But again, from the strategy perspective, it's all about your, [00:19:54] that's where your listeners or your viewers. Found you. That's what they're gonna remember. So in your call to action, you [00:20:00] wanna make sure that you tell them where to go in a way that they'll remember, because especially with audio podcasts, people are [00:20:06] maybe going for a walk or they're at the gym when they're listening to your podcast, right?

gonna be able to connect the [: 00:20:12

Clearly, you believed in me as a [00:20:30] strategist. Clearly, you believed in the results of the audit, but the hard no, I won't say the hardest, [00:20:36] but I'll say the, in my opinion, your biggest leap of faith was going from being a DIY [00:20:42] podcaster, business owner or business owner that was D DIYing, their podcast, which was very time consuming.[00:20:48]

ncy. That was something that [: 00:20:54

Jenn Trepeck: well, [00:21:00] part of it was like so many of us, when we start and we're not really sure what's going to [00:21:06] come of this added venture, right? And I talk about it all the time [00:21:12] as.

e have more money than time. [: 00:21:18

It wasn't in editing the show. It wasn't in [00:21:48] writing the show. Writing the show notes. That one for me especially because we hear it all the time. [00:21:54] You create your content for the listener, but you write the episode notes for Google. Thank you, Todd [00:22:00] Cochrane of right. I, we quote him all the time. Right? All the time.[00:22:06]

and a writer for Google. So [: 00:22:12

[00:22:30] So it was an evolution to say, this is. Where my highest and best use of my [00:22:36] energy is. Yeah. And that is in the content, in the strategy, in the planning, in the guest [00:22:42] booking, you know, in all of those conversations rather than in the [00:22:48] editing and the show notes and those kinds of things. And I think. In my own workflow, one of the biggest things that [00:22:54] changed was the fact that I could now mentally move on to the next episode.

So I now, you know, we're a [: 00:23:00

Traci DeForge: could focus on the content you wanted to create versus the workflow and the Exactly. And the heavy [00:23:06] lifting of the editing and the show notes and the marketing deliverables and all Exactly. Things. I mean, I'm just, you know, we, we, we tell people [00:23:12] that's the case, but again, it's really nice to hear somebody actually in their real life experience share what a difference it made [00:23:18] to them.

some of these other pieces, [: 00:23:24

Traci DeForge: That's an interesting benefit we don't really hear very often is that it actually [00:23:42] made the workflow for your team more seamless as well. So you weren't basically, you weren't the bottleneck anymore. [00:23:48] Exactly. Yeah. I love that. So you just completed our sponsorship circle, which is our private coaching program for business owners who want [00:23:54] to get sponsors for their shows.

Uh, tell me your biggest takeaways from the program. The biggest

Jenn Trepeck: [: 00:24:00

Because I really think, as you say all the time, right, downloads doesn't [00:24:30] necessarily give the value to what you've built in an audience all the time. It's. [00:24:36] Driving that growth separate from this one number and allows [00:24:42] me to reach out to the brands that I already know are a hell yes for me. And so I'm super [00:24:48] excited.

I, there's a couple that are in the work, so you know, we'll see what happens in your book. Beautiful

i DeForge: presentation deck [: 00:24:54

I mean, um. I'm taking your win, but I thought [00:25:06] it was a win because

Jenn Trepeck: it looks well, it's all because of what we learned with, you know, in the program, this sponsorship circle.

Traci DeForge: Yeah. [: 00:25:12

Let's hit them really [00:25:24] quickly. How do you monetize your show?

order, I did the membership [: 00:25:30

Traci DeForge: [00:25:42] it all as we go. You're just hitting all of the goals of the Dream monetization podcast [00:25:48] strategy.

I love that. Doing

Jenn Trepeck: what we can,

e. Speaking of more to come, [: 00:25:54

Jenn Trepeck: Free coaching. So I think [00:26:12] with the launch of the book, I'm actually not naming this book, the [00:26:18] name of the show, and so it is sort of going to be another piece of this brand [00:26:24] kind of with a different name.

. Bringing the book into the [: 00:26:30

How do I. Leverage and market the book. Okay. [00:26:48]

stency and also was the very [: 00:26:54

Because [00:27:00] that's the second book.

o the first book, so the, it [: 00:27:06

And so in working on it, one of the pieces was that we need to think of this as a book [00:27:24] portfolio, not as the one book. And so, because it's not the one book. [00:27:30] It's not the salad with the side of fries. Secret to health and wellness. That's the next one.

Traci DeForge: [: 00:27:36

I think in, in [00:27:42] five seconds or less, which, you know, I can't do. I will say the most important piece of this is as you're [00:27:48] writing the book and as the book is being developed. You wanna bring your listeners and your your audience into the [00:27:54] process. So tell them about the book in your episodes. Ask them descending questions.

e very familiar with already [: 00:28:00

And then you [00:28:18] can utilize the things that they provided for you in your marketing for the book. You've already done a live event, so [00:28:24] I would look at your downloads. And I would figure out what cities are your top three to five cities that you have [00:28:30] the most downloads from, and target those cities for book launch events and book signing events.

And you can probably get a [: 00:28:36

Jenn Trepeck: Yes, well, all social media, I am at Gen Tpic, [00:28:54] J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K, and my website is a salad with the side of fries.com, wherever you're listening.

Salad with the side of Fries [: 00:29:00

Traci DeForge: Yes, that name is Unforgettable. Don't worry, but in case you can't write it down, [00:29:06] it will. In the show notes and links to all the resources and how to get in touch with you, we'll all be there. [00:29:12] And for more insights, tips, and resources, go to growth accelerator podcast.com [00:29:18] and we'll see you there.

to turning your business or [: 00:29:24

Let's get [00:29:42] started.